METAL TO THE CORE TOUR – CIRRHOSIS, DARK DISCIPLE, ORCUS

The Tourist Inn in Hellam PA is a small local watering hole in the central part of the state that sports a nice little area in the back for a nice close up and personall show. On this night there would be total death and distruction from all angles. Converging on the stage this night would be six of the heaviest and fastest metal bands from Philadelphia PA, Baltimore MD, Lancaster PA, and Delaware. From the first cord to the last none of these bands would let you up for air so it was a wild ride the whole night. The first band up was a last minute subsitution .

FATAL AGRESSION was a power thrash band that grabbed the crowds attention and held it with speed and plenty of power.

The second band VON KULL was a big suprise. Hailing from Delaware this band took you by the balls and would never let go. Reminding me of a mix of Pantera and Pissing Razors with a very comanding vocal performance. Ben Garcia's voice demands total attention with the driving force of a sledge hammer pounding its way thru a cold steele anvil. A very impresive band and looking forward to seeing them again.

The third band SEASON OF FEAR is a band from Baltimore Md that kind of struck me odd at first. There sound reminded me of a mix between Megadeth and Morbid Angel with a vocal sound just as unique. The vocals had a deep and thundering sound that matched the low end of the bands sound.

The forth band is ORCUS and they hail from Philadelphia and are a three piece outfit that really do a good job of keeping your attention. Rich Brooks (Bass & Vocals) stage presance reminds me of Tom Araya of Slayer. Speaking of Slayer, I got the feeling from this band that they are very heavily influenced by them. Not many three piece bands project the power and the speed of a band like this. Looking forward to hearing more from them.

The fifth band DARK DISCIPLE, was the main band I was going to see that night. Hailing from Baltimore, MD. Going from speed, thrash, and power on the first four bands to pure dark and evil with this one. Those of you who appreciate bands such as Morbid Angel, Skinless, and Mortician would have definately had a ball listening to this band. They have opened for acts such as Deicide and Morbid Angel. This band was plum breathtaking, in their stage presence and the sheer force they projected as a whole. Very much worth the trip.

The sixth and final band, CIRRHOSIS, hailing from Lancaster, PA, another power, thrash band that takes their music seriously. They present themselves on stage with fury and speed, but seem to get a little lost in their songs at times. Not saying this band was bad, but I felt like I was listening to power metal, thrash, death, and hard core punk wrapped up into one. Not use to these elements being combined, so it was very hard to keep up with them. But as for a closing band, on a night such as this, not bad at all.

Overall, the night of November 23rd, was a welcome change to the larger concert halls and the larger bands. It's very nice to see that metal of this style and caliber is still being played with such conviction and from the heart. These were six bands that you could tell played from their soul and their hearts. Three of these bands have a nice future, the others are up and comers with a lot of work ahead of them. I personally enjoyed the show and would go back again. Those of you who are ever able to catch any of these bands would not be disappointed in the least.
Overall rating on this night would be an 8.5 out of 10.